Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Alyssa]

I got a letter from a former student today, she was under stress to study for the TOEIC test, this will be the third time she has taken it. Now that I am out of korea, I can see that what is going on over there is pure madness. English learning has become a craze, it is in the soul of the "soul" of Asia. Babies are listening to English, mothers are paying tons of money for privates, families are moving to English speaking countries, sending kids away to different countries, Colleges, Uni's are getting grants to hire more teachers, ENGLISH! ENGLISH! ENGLISH! its a living monster. This is insane in fact! My friends have hobbies that they invest in, they sit around having fun, my little sister is having fun at school, after school she plays soccer, is in various clubs, she has fun. In high school I had fun, got to drive. When will the madness end?? English has become a golden key (they think) that will l unlock the treasure chest of fortune. I think this is an illusion. A sad society that seems to be unstable and full of fear. I feel sorry for all those kids, and parents, I really do

[Bread]

That's too bad.

[blaseblasphemener]

Yeah, they really would be better off not learning a second language. Maybe they can learn how to be a druggie, or how to pop out a kid and go on welfare at age 16, or wait, sit around on their fat asss watching TV 9 hours a day, drinking Super Big Gulps and ordering pizza everyday.

The West really has a lot to teach the hapless Koreans.

[Alyssa]

[Unposter]

Allysa-

Wow! You are good! I hope you enjoy your white privilege. "At least" you have "sympathy" for those who cannot enjoy life as much as you did and do.

You should know well that life is full of choices. Some choose work. Others choose play. I would not be so elitist to knock other people's choices, especially if they choose to work hard.

[Alyssa]

"choose" to work hard??? Right, all those kids going to hagwans have "chosen" to work hard until midnight. I guess you will say all the korean men have "chosen" to do their military service. Put yourself in their shoes, they would think you were a clown with your empty reply to my post.
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[hamlet712]

Yes Alyssa the Koreans should lower thier drive to succeed by about ten times, then theyd have the ambition of the Average North American.

I mean, these Koreans should quite trying to suceed in thier lives and buckle down at slacking off, searching the internet for skateboarding accidents and nut shots, and make no effort at all to contribute to thier society. Then they can be JUST LIKE US!!!!!! ( on average)

The North American work ethic/education is so pathetically low comparably that it is not even funny. The two threads I started made that obvious. North Americans think that thier work etchic is a maleable thing, and can be adjusted depending on their satisfaction with thier boss, and unless they happen to COME FROM a culture that speaks another language, I'd say about 90 percent of North Americans don't know another language and could care less if they ever learn another language.

Right now I'm attempting to learn a language that is going to be USELESS for me for anything other than to speak to my Korean in laws. I have a reason, and it's a good one.

Koreans have a reason and it is also a good one. The world is for the most part controlled by America and China. For this reason my wife learned English and Chinese, and guess what? She can get nearly any job she wants here in Korea, and many jobs she wants back in Canada.

She is also learning French so she will be quadlingual and get ANY Canadian job she wants.

So do you want to tell her that her studying has been a waste of time and that you know what is better for her life, or do you wanna take your ignorance somewhere else and stop spouting off about crap you know nothing about?

How many snotty upperclass North American parents fast track thier kids and force them to work hard to get into harvard or yale and have lives that might make them rich and successful? Is thier pressure ALSO usless, or is this fine since they are OUR people who are forced to work hard and make our neck of the world a better place?

I mean how dare these koreans expose thier kids to A LOT Of learning and education and a vast variety of different experiences to give them an advantage. And before you say it ISNT an advantage ANY opportunity to learn, and ANYTHING you learn is an advantage.

You dont here a lot of Rich wallstreet types saying that learning the piano was a total waste of time and or taught them nothing.

I would have been a bit nicer to you in my respone had we not had that great history where you said NOTHING of value against my points, you simply called me a Korean masquerading as a Canadian and refused to let me do anything to prove to you I was who I say I was.

The Koreans have thier faults, but a westerner criticising their work/education ethic is as laughable as a KKK member criticising a muslim extermist's lack of tolerance towards different races.

[jkelly80]

They are deathly afraid of uncertainty here. I get the feeling they will do anything, up to and including working themselves to death. Being a mindless drone is preferable to the constant crises, upheavals, occupation, civil wars, and famine of the last 150 years. Working longs hours, up until recently, meant stability with your company. I think that's hard to shake.

[VanIslander]

admission to some of the most prestigious schools in Korea are depending on an ability to speak English

i just helped prep a middle school student doing an English interview next week to get into a top medical-focussed high school

1 in 76 applicants will be accepted and his six months in Canada and years of one-on-one tutoring gives him a great shot at being accepted

English IS important here, don't fault the parents, the tail doesn't wag this dog. Companies like Samsung and LG are making English hiring interviews and English company emails mandatory. Parents are just seeing the writing on the wall and it ain't hangul.

[hamlet712]

[jkelly80]

Korean's problems were created by America?

You're not too bright Hamlet, stop wasting precious screen space with your bullshit.

[hamlet712]

[princess]

I'll agree that too many Korean kids never get a real chance to just be a kid, and all they do is waste away their youth studying. Just like in America, people are barinwahsed by society into thinking you must go to college or you will never be rich and/or successful. Not to burst anyone's bubble on here, but someday knowing 10 languages and having 10 degrees STILL isn't going to guarantee you a great, high-paying job. One of these days, with the way the world economy is going, service jobs will be about the only jobs left. People will always have the need to eat and drink. Someday, service people who never went to college will have the last laugh on these over-educated people who can barely find a job working at McDonald's. I can't believe people still buy into that whole "go to college or you are in trouble" mentality.

[jkelly80]

[hamlet712]